NTSC TV Tuner Adapters

The Bottom Line: The Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-USB2 offers admirable image quality, but you'll need to bring your own A/V cables.

Specs: Hauppauge WinTV PVR-usb2 - TV / radio tuner / video input adapter - Hi-Speed USB, Hi-Speed USB, TV tuner - Hi-Speed USB - External, S-video input, Composite video input, Stereo - max sample rate: 44.1 KHz

The Bottom Line: The Plextor ConvertX PVR is an affordable USB TV tuner with a decent software bundle, but its performance is less than stellar.

Specs: Plextor ConvertX PX-TV100U - TV tuner / video input adapter - Hi-Speed USB, Hi-Speed USB, Video capture adapter - Hi-Speed USB - External, S-video input, Composite video input

Editors' Take: If you're looking for 3D graphics and a TV tuner in a single card, ATI's new All-In-Wonder X1900 looks like the new leader of the pack.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1900, 2560 x 1600 / 60 Hz, 256 MB, PC, 2

The Bottom Line: Aptly named, the ATI TV Wonder Elite is easily the best PC TV tuner card we've seen.

Specs: ATI-TV Wonder Elite Remote Control Edition - TV / radio tuner / video input adapter - PCI, PCI, Video capture adapter - S-video input - Plug-in card, Composite video input, Stereo

The Bottom Line: ATI's second-best 3D card brings all of the requisite features to the 3D gaming table, but its specialized performance makes it less compelling.

Specs: ATI Radeon X1800 XL, 2560 x 1600 / 60 Hz, 256 MB, PC, 2

The Bottom Line: Though definitely a product that only select users will need, it's a generally stellar prosumer solution for analog video capture.

Specs: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Video Editor - Video input adapter - Hi-Speed USB, Hi-Speed USB, Video capture adapter - Hi-Speed USB - External, S-video input, S-video output, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), Composite video input, Composite video output

The Bottom Line: One of the first Nvidia-based self-contained 3D-graphics/TV-tuner cards, eVGA's Nvidia Personal Cinema 5700 is adequate for anyone who wants to watch and record TV and play games on the same PC.

Specs: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700, 2048 x 1536 / 60 Hz, 128 MB / 128 MB (max), PC, 2

The Bottom Line: The AVerMedia TVBox 9 is a simple device that allows you to turn any computer monitor into a television.

Specs: AVerMedia TVBox 9 - TV tuner / video input adapter, TV tuner - S-video input - External, Component video input, Composite video input

The Bottom Line: ATI's All-In-Wonder 9800 Pro brings together high-end gaming prowess and home entertainment.

Specs: ATI Radeon 9800 PRO, 2048 x 1536 / 85 Hz, 128 MB / 128 MB (max), PC, 2

The Bottom Line: Pinnacle Express DV provides only basic control over video content and DVD menu design--at a high price. Pick the cheaper Ulead DVD MovieFactory or MGI VideoWave for a product that grows with your skills.

Specs: Pinnacle Express DV - Video input adapter - PCI, PCI, Video capture adapter - IEEE 1394 (FireWire) - Plug-in card